A Message From the Co-Chair
Mayor Chavez
Albuquerque, NM
Mayor Coody
Fayetteville, AR |
The Importance of Sound Water Management
by Mayor Chavez
When I was first elected as Mayor of the City of Albuquerque in 1994, I was confronted with a new water reality. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published a report that completely changed our understanding of the aquifer and the region's water supply. The new reality was much different than the previous technical understanding that suggested Albuquerque was sitting atop a virtual "Lake Superior", a limitless supply. This new and surprising reality required leadership, planning and immediate action.
After the initial shock of learning that our water supply was being depleted at twice the rate of recharge, I immediately convened a group of citizens, City staff and other local experts to discuss a plan to move forward. The initial step was to develop and implement a water conservation program. About one year after the USGS report, the City Council adopted the first water conservation program with a goal to reduce use by 30 percent over a ten year period (250 gallons per person per day to 175 gpcd). The program consists of voluntary measures, rebates/incentives and mandatory measures; and the most important aspect, education.
As Mayor, I was adamant that the internal City Departments meet or exceed the new goal. If we were to be successful with our customers, the City needed to show its commitment. Each Department Director was responsible to develop and implement a water conservation program. The internal program then became part of the budget process such that the reduction measures were funded and implemented.
At the end of 2004, overall water usage had been reduced by more than 33 percent with residential customers taking the lead with an astounding 38 percent reduction. At the same time, we have added roughly 30 percent new water accounts. City usage has also met the goal with a reduction of more than 30 percent over the same period. Because of the success of the program and the need to do more, we recently adopted another 10 percent reduction.
The second major effort following the water conservation program was to develop a new water resources plan. Again, I called on the citizenry by establishing a Customer Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC included community leaders representing a variety of interests including environmental, neighborhood, business, rural, agriculture and development. The Water Resources Customer Advisory Committee worked with me for more than 2 years and in 1997, the Albuquerque Water Resources Management Plan (AWRMS) was adopted as the new water supply policy for the City. The cornerstone of the AWRMS was the direct diversion and use of our San Juan-Chama water.
In 1963, City and State leaders worked to get water from the Colorado River (a portion of New Mexico's share of the Colorado River) via the San Juan-Chama project. The San Juan-Chama water imports water from the San Juan River in southern Colorado into the Rio Grande basin in the Chama River. The San Juan-Chama project was constructed to provide Albuquerque with a future water supply under contract for 48,200 acre-feet per year, and Albuquerque has invested almost $ 50 million.
Although we began investing in San Juan-Chama water in the early 1970's, it wasn't until July 2003, when I pushed the button to start the water pump, that we officially started using the contracted water. The pump that I started also triggered a large reuse and recycling project to provide non-potable water for industrial and irrigation uses. We are using industrial effluent, and soon will be reusing municipal effluent, for turf irrigation as part of the plan to transition from the aquifer to renewable supplies.
The most important project to transition from the aquifer to renewable supplies is the Drinking Water Project (DWP). This project is being funded by seven dedicated water rate increases, the first of which I sponsored at the end of my first term. There were many challenges in getting the project underway on this massive $ 375 million project. Construction is underway and scheduled start-up is early 2008.
In the early 1960's, some people were critical and believed that purchase of San Juan-Chama water was a "boondoggle". In hindsight, those municipal leaders provided for our future. Now, we are called to provide for the future of our families. Water conservation, reuse and recycling and the Drinking Water Project are intended to do just that.
USCM Asks Congress to Override WRDA Veto
Download Tom Cochran's Letter (11/6)
New Publications
City Practices and Attitudes Concerning the State Revolving Fund Loan Program (2006)
Urban Water Council Spring 2006 Newsletter
2005 Water Conservation Awards
National City Water Survey 2005
"Mayor’s Guide to Water and Wastewater Partnership Service Agreements: Terms and Conditions": Press Release | Download Publication
Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace Promotes the "Metro Agenda 2004" at National Council for Public Private Partnerships Water Conference
U.S. Mayor Article | Presentation
Augusta Mayor Bob Young Speaks at the 2004 Water & Energy Forum
See Mayor Young's presentation: "Prioritizing Infrastructure Needs: Augusta-Richmond County's Water and Wastewater"
June 25, 2004
Urban Water Council Meeting in conjunction with the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Annual Meeting in Boston: See Agenda
April 28, 2004
Mayor David Wallace, Sugar Land, TX, testifies before the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment: Read the Testimony
April 27-28, 2004
2004 Urban Water Summit, Washington DC: More Information
March 25-26, 2004
Municipal Seminar on Public-Private Partnerships, Sugar Land, TX: More Information
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